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The Crooked Little Pieces: Volume 3
Dreams are a red flag for the danger-prone.
Postwar van der Holts. Sophistication sticks to Head of Music Isabel – and so does new headmaster, the mysterious and semi-dictatorial Richard Schneider. Dissent from doctorly conventionality leads Anneliese into digressions deviant even for her as she squares off not just against Susanna but a serial offender of the law. Sparks fly between old flames; new fears prove equally exciting. Loyalties are switched and cravings itched in this compendium of the forbidden driven by foreboding: a mere taste of the temptations still to come.
Treats are aplenty for the reader who prefers vicarious living in The Crooked Little Pieces: Volume 3: a world abundant in the traps of passion’s shackles.
Into the higher stakes we go.
Postwar van der Holts. Sophistication sticks to Head of Music Isabel – and so does new headmaster, the mysterious and semi-dictatorial Richard Schneider. Dissent from doctorly conventionality leads Anneliese into digressions deviant even for her as she squares off not just against Susanna but a serial offender of the law. Sparks fly between old flames; new fears prove equally exciting. Loyalties are switched and cravings itched in this compendium of the forbidden driven by foreboding: a mere taste of the temptations still to come.
Treats are aplenty for the reader who prefers vicarious living in The Crooked Little Pieces: Volume 3: a world abundant in the traps of passion’s shackles.
Into the higher stakes we go.
576 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2023
2 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Sophia Lambton
7 books16 followersSophia Lambton became a professional classical music critic at the age of 17 when she began writing for Musical Opinion, Britain’s oldest music magazine. Since then she has contributed to The Guardian, Bachtrack, musicOMH, BroadwayWorld, BBC Music Magazine and OperaWire. She spent twelve years conducting research to create The Callas Imprint: A Centennial Biography, which won the 2024 ARSC Award for Best Historical Research in Recorded Classical Music.
Elsewhere she is a novelist. The first five volumes of her saga The Crooked Little Pieces were released by The Crepuscular Press between 2022 and 2025.
Her Substack Crepuscular Music comprises classical music and opera reviews that seek to capture the ephemeral escapism of live performance. You can find it at at sophialambton.substack.com.
She lives in London.
Elsewhere she is a novelist. The first five volumes of her saga The Crooked Little Pieces were released by The Crepuscular Press between 2022 and 2025.
Her Substack Crepuscular Music comprises classical music and opera reviews that seek to capture the ephemeral escapism of live performance. You can find it at at sophialambton.substack.com.
She lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 25, 2025
The third volume of The Crooked Little Pieces did not disappoint! Picking up after the end of WWII, we rejoin Isabel and Anneliese van der Holt as they near their thirties, are flirty (well Isabel is, of course), and thriving in their complicated lives. Each of Isabel’s dramatic, unpredictable, and entertaining chapters felt like binge-worthy reality TV, but in literary form, while Anneliese’s investigation as an undercover agent gave the book a darker and mysterious edge.
The author, Sophia Lambton, really outdid herself with this novel. The rich historical texture, vivid descriptions, and, as always, the infusion of psychiatry and music made this read so imaginative and unique. There was character development that was messy and deeply human, lots of tension, and more than enough psychological entanglement to satisfy any lover of literary fiction and complex women.
This series really does keep getting better and better. I’m so excited to read Volume 4 next! - 4.5⭐️
The author, Sophia Lambton, really outdid herself with this novel. The rich historical texture, vivid descriptions, and, as always, the infusion of psychiatry and music made this read so imaginative and unique. There was character development that was messy and deeply human, lots of tension, and more than enough psychological entanglement to satisfy any lover of literary fiction and complex women.
This series really does keep getting better and better. I’m so excited to read Volume 4 next! - 4.5⭐️
June 23, 2023
It was a joy to dip my toes once again into the lives of Anneliese and Isabel van der Holt. We are in the years after World War Two,the late 1940s where we find that Isabel is now Head of Music and coming to terms with a new regime at her school. Miss Butterworth has retired and Richard Schneider has been appointed headteacher. The interactions between this new head and his fiery subordinate are delicious to observe. I also really enjoy seeing the relationships between Isabel and her pupils, there is a respect and a warmth in their interactions that as an ex-teacher myself, I can appreciate. As for Anneliese, she still has her practice and is still seeing her own therapist, Susanna. Her obsession with Susanna has not abated and so determined is Anneliese to solve what she see to be the problem that has prevented Susanna from achieving her potential that she starts to engage in undercover activities to try to bring down the man who she believes is at the heart of the problem – CA Remington. An unlikely 'spy', Anneliese's excursions into suberterfuge are at times quite amusing. She is not a natural wrong-doer. As for her marriage, it continues to be a union of two people who have no interest in the physical unlike her sister who finds herself encountering two old flames. But not only that, I have a feeling that there is also a secret admirer in the shadows. I'm not telling you any more, but it is good to see Isabel having a bit of fun. Although I must give a trigger warning for a scene that is brutal to read. Yet again these two sisters get under your skin and you keep turning the pages to see what they are doing, what they are feeling. In the previous two volumes, we have watched them growing from children to young women and I might be in a minority – who knows – but Isabel is still the sister that I'm am drawn to. I enjoy her spirit. I can't wait to see what happens in their lives as we move into the next decades. And as before, there is no ending as such, just a closing of a chapter and a pause until we can start the next one. Thank you to the author for allowing me to read a proof copy.
September 3, 2024
Readers are given a peek into the world ‘where love thrives’.
These two women are just as complex as ever:
Anneliese and her ‘compulsive need to take diversions.’
‘The raging fire of a woman ready to inflict comeuppance was still flickering inside.’
Isabel and her relationship foibles & quirks.
‘Every time there is the introduction of a man into her life, something goes wrong.’
‘And where the child would put the apple drops aside, shift gummi bears a fraction to the right, set jelly beans midway, and move the caramels northeast, Isabel would drop these men into her own slots.’
The author continues to treat us readers with her deep understanding of humankind; therefore, taking us on yet another erudite journey in addition to the tale itself:
‘Dumbstruck were they by this.’
‘Everyone must play a role in a…food chain.’
‘Narrowing her weary eyes, she made them the slim slits in twin shells of pistachios.’
‘Her nose and the aroma were no longer capable of leading separate lives. She had to suffer fragrant vertigo.’
With the author’s incredible command of language, it came as no surprise that she explained a very ‘delicate’ situation very well. This is no easy feat, mind you.
Book four of five released yesterday - time for me to get cracking on more of this sisterly saga! Where will their cravings take them and how far will their loyalties stretch?
These two women are just as complex as ever:
Anneliese and her ‘compulsive need to take diversions.’
‘The raging fire of a woman ready to inflict comeuppance was still flickering inside.’
Isabel and her relationship foibles & quirks.
‘Every time there is the introduction of a man into her life, something goes wrong.’
‘And where the child would put the apple drops aside, shift gummi bears a fraction to the right, set jelly beans midway, and move the caramels northeast, Isabel would drop these men into her own slots.’
The author continues to treat us readers with her deep understanding of humankind; therefore, taking us on yet another erudite journey in addition to the tale itself:
‘Dumbstruck were they by this.’
‘Everyone must play a role in a…food chain.’
‘Narrowing her weary eyes, she made them the slim slits in twin shells of pistachios.’
‘Her nose and the aroma were no longer capable of leading separate lives. She had to suffer fragrant vertigo.’
With the author’s incredible command of language, it came as no surprise that she explained a very ‘delicate’ situation very well. This is no easy feat, mind you.
Book four of five released yesterday - time for me to get cracking on more of this sisterly saga! Where will their cravings take them and how far will their loyalties stretch?
September 30, 2025
Before anything else, I’d like to say that I’m already looking forward to the next volume! The ending really made me excited to know what will happen to Anneliese and her complicated profession—plus Isabel and Richard’s story. I’m rooting for Richard and Isabel’s love story… well, if you can call it a love story. Their chemistry is palpable.
It took me a while to finish this one—not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but because it’s so thick, and I wanted to take my time and savor every moment in this book.
Just like the first two volumes, it still has that cozy vibe and feels like a warm hug. But this time, it also gave me a thrilling and exciting feeling, especially with how the lives of the twins took a turn. I didn’t expect the Elise and Richard thing! It’s funny and surprising at the same time.
Also, in this third part of the series, we follow the van der Holts as their lives become even more tangled. Isabel, who leads the music department, meets a new headmaster named Richard Schneider. He’s charming but mysterious, and his arrival brings tension and change. Anneliese, meanwhile, keeps pushing against the rules. Her choices lead her into risky situations, including meeting someone who breaks the law. I find this really interesting because Anneliese wasn’t like this in the first two volumes. A person who didn’t like taking risks and was always by the book is now risking and breaking the law. It really made me question her decisions, and honestly, I felt scared for her life.
This book might be a slow burn, but I can say it’s worth my time. Each character feels authentic, raw, and real. They might be flawed, but at least they’re still trying.
Again, thank you so much, Sophia Lambton, for sending me your books all the way from the UK. I truly loved and enjoyed reading them.
It took me a while to finish this one—not because I wasn’t enjoying it, but because it’s so thick, and I wanted to take my time and savor every moment in this book.
Just like the first two volumes, it still has that cozy vibe and feels like a warm hug. But this time, it also gave me a thrilling and exciting feeling, especially with how the lives of the twins took a turn. I didn’t expect the Elise and Richard thing! It’s funny and surprising at the same time.
Also, in this third part of the series, we follow the van der Holts as their lives become even more tangled. Isabel, who leads the music department, meets a new headmaster named Richard Schneider. He’s charming but mysterious, and his arrival brings tension and change. Anneliese, meanwhile, keeps pushing against the rules. Her choices lead her into risky situations, including meeting someone who breaks the law. I find this really interesting because Anneliese wasn’t like this in the first two volumes. A person who didn’t like taking risks and was always by the book is now risking and breaking the law. It really made me question her decisions, and honestly, I felt scared for her life.
This book might be a slow burn, but I can say it’s worth my time. Each character feels authentic, raw, and real. They might be flawed, but at least they’re still trying.
Again, thank you so much, Sophia Lambton, for sending me your books all the way from the UK. I truly loved and enjoyed reading them.
April 16, 2024
In "The Crooked Little Pieces: Volume 3" by Sophia Lambton, we are taken into the postwar world of van der Holts where sophistication and intrigue are always at play. Head of Music Isabel finds herself caught in the web of the mysterious and semi-dictatorial new headmaster, Richard Schneider, while Anneliese pushes the boundaries of conventionality, facing off against not only her rival Susanna but also a serial offender of the law.
The novel is a thrilling ride through forbidden desires and dangerous alliances, where old flames reignite and new fears bring excitement. Loyalties are tested, switched, and challenged in a world driven by foreboding and temptation.
For those who enjoy living vicariously through the drama and passion of complex characters, "The Crooked Little Pieces: Volume 3" is sure to provide plenty of treats and satisfy their cravings for high-stakes storytelling. The stakes are higher, the risks are greater, and the temptations are more alluring than ever in this captivating third installment of the series. It is sure to leave you wanting more!
July 23, 2023
So here we are again. We are approaching the 1950s and the twins are almost 30 years old. I am not going to recap volumes 1 and 2, because I am assuming you have read them. If you haven’t, then you should.
Psychiatrist Anneliese is still married to barrister Stephen, though they never seem to spend any time together. But then Anneliese has no interest in being a mother or having a physical relationship with her husband or anyone.
Isabel has been apart from her husband Steven (is there a reason they are both called Stev/phen?) for a number of years, their sado-masochistic games having gone too far. They were no longer games and Isabel had to escape before she was seriously hurt. She now concentrates on her position as Head of Music at Croham Hurst girls school, where Richard Schneider is the new headmaster. Isabel is horrified that they have appointed a man. He must be a pervert.
I can’t help liking Richard even though I probably wouldn’t in real life (no not because he’s a pervert – he isn’t). He’s cultured and interesting, but what secrets is he hiding behind that oh-so respectable demeanor? Vincent, on the other hand, would give me hayfever.
Once again another nod to my mother – the tenor Gigli, who she loved, and who Richard hates.
In the meantime, Anneliese becomes obsessed with the lawyer who defended the killer – allegedly – of her psychiatrist Susanna’s daughter Lily, many years earlier. She inveigles herself into his home by helping to treat his schizophrenic young daughter, Rosalind.
Another great book in this fantastic series. It’s so brilliantly written in its own inimitable style. Many thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Psychiatrist Anneliese is still married to barrister Stephen, though they never seem to spend any time together. But then Anneliese has no interest in being a mother or having a physical relationship with her husband or anyone.
Isabel has been apart from her husband Steven (is there a reason they are both called Stev/phen?) for a number of years, their sado-masochistic games having gone too far. They were no longer games and Isabel had to escape before she was seriously hurt. She now concentrates on her position as Head of Music at Croham Hurst girls school, where Richard Schneider is the new headmaster. Isabel is horrified that they have appointed a man. He must be a pervert.
I can’t help liking Richard even though I probably wouldn’t in real life (no not because he’s a pervert – he isn’t). He’s cultured and interesting, but what secrets is he hiding behind that oh-so respectable demeanor? Vincent, on the other hand, would give me hayfever.
Once again another nod to my mother – the tenor Gigli, who she loved, and who Richard hates.
In the meantime, Anneliese becomes obsessed with the lawyer who defended the killer – allegedly – of her psychiatrist Susanna’s daughter Lily, many years earlier. She inveigles herself into his home by helping to treat his schizophrenic young daughter, Rosalind.
Another great book in this fantastic series. It’s so brilliantly written in its own inimitable style. Many thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2023
Anneliese and Isabel - and the series - have come into their own since volumes one and two. From a socially awkward malcontent whose psychiatrist fills her mother needs and her as an object of obsession, Anneliese is now a married psychiatrist( and detective) herself. Isabel, once a wayward cellist funneling performance anxiety into sexual exploration, is a beloved music teacher at her former school. But these mature women face mature challenges in volume three. Annaliese takes on a patient she plumbs for dirt to use against him on behalf of justice for a friend. The new headmaster at Isabel's school thwarts her above-and-beyond teaching approach. Surprises are in store for both sisters as they get to delve deep into these relationships - for better and worse. The book's writing capitalizes on uncomfortable and embarrassing moments. Isabel calls on her new boss drunk and Anneliese finds herself lying her way into her patient's dark underworld. Dialogue squirms with "er"s, "um"s and interruptions. While their foibles disarm and endear readers to the sisters, they are also the means by which the book tackles societal shame with both humor and empathy. The sisters may come at problems from opposite vantage points, but the book's strength lies in its investigation of moral ambiguities and changes of heart and mind. No one is exempt from wrong doing. Whether or not forgiveness extends to all is a topic for volume four.
September 29, 2023
I am really enjoying this series, you really have to read the first two before this one as otherwise it wont make any sense and you wont appreciate the journey that the characters have been going under.
There is no real ending it just ends with is similar to the other books.
This is not a historical novel in itself but more about the relationships etc.
I was given a copy by the author but the review is entirely my own.
There is no real ending it just ends with is similar to the other books.
This is not a historical novel in itself but more about the relationships etc.
I was given a copy by the author but the review is entirely my own.
February 19, 2025
3.5-3.75
October 27, 2023
Thank you, The Crepuscular Press, for this opportunity to continue where the van der Holts twins, Annaliese and Isabel, have left off. This is volume 3 of The Crooked Little Pieces.
This book requires a slow reading pace, to slowly devour and understand the drama within. It is written in alternate views of the sisters about their respective side of the stories. There are so many plots going on that I had to keep up vigilantly or I would have been lost LOL! The way it's written sure feels like I am in a TV series of Downtown Abbey or some sort of drama from Diva channel.
A walk down memory lane of the day's way back then. I've always had a soft spot for historical fiction which is one of the reasons I've requested for The Crooked Little Pieces. Reading through the twin's journey have been eye-opening indeed. A little lengthy in my opinion as I did wish it was shorter at times. Other than that, it was a nice novel to divulge in during my commute home.
This book requires a slow reading pace, to slowly devour and understand the drama within. It is written in alternate views of the sisters about their respective side of the stories. There are so many plots going on that I had to keep up vigilantly or I would have been lost LOL! The way it's written sure feels like I am in a TV series of Downtown Abbey or some sort of drama from Diva channel.
A walk down memory lane of the day's way back then. I've always had a soft spot for historical fiction which is one of the reasons I've requested for The Crooked Little Pieces. Reading through the twin's journey have been eye-opening indeed. A little lengthy in my opinion as I did wish it was shorter at times. Other than that, it was a nice novel to divulge in during my commute home.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews